1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector which can connect pairs of electrodes opposite to each other with a predetermined distance to each other without use of a cable and which can be removed from a portion between the electrodes as needed. More particularly, the invention relates to the structure of a connector for connecting an information input/output electrode arranged on a so-called IC card incorporated with an integrated circuit chip to a corresponding electrode arranged on a baseboard exposed inside an apparatus into which the IC card is mounted during an information inputting/outputting operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
The technical background of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8B. A connector used to satisfy the above object is called an IC card connector hereinafter.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view for explaining an IC card related to a connector to which the present invention is applied and outlines the structure of a reception apparatus into which the IC card is mounted when information is read from and written on the IC card. FIGS. 7A and 7B are perspective views for explaining the structure of a conventional IC card connector. FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective views for explaining the structure of another conventional IC card connector.
Referring to FIG. 6, an IC card 11 is inserted into an attachment member (to be referred to as a magazine hereinafter) 122 of a reception apparatus 12 in the direction of arrow C, and the IC card 11 is removed in the reverse direction. A window 111a is formed in the side surface of an end portion of the IC card 11 in the insertion direction. In the window 111a, a plurality of information input/output electrodes 111b are exposed in such a state that the information input/output electrodes 111b are arranged in a matrix of two rows, for example.
The reception apparatus 12 is constituted by a baseboard 121 fixed to a housing 1 of an information input/output equipment for exchanging information with the IC card 11, and the magazine 122. The magazine 122 is supported such that the magazine 122 can be pivoted in the direction of arrow B about an engagement portion 121b at the hinge portion 122a arranged on one end portion of the baseboard 121. When the IC card 11 is inserted into the magazine 122, and the magazine 122 is closed by a vertical wall 121a, i.e., the magazine 122 is pivoted to be in tight contact with the baseboard 121, and the IC card 11 is held in position in the insertion direction by the vertical wall 121a.
In the baseboard 121, an opening 121c corresponding to the window 111a of the IC card 11 inserted into the magazine 122 and positioned by the vertical wall 121a is formed. In the opening 121c, connection electrodes 121d are formed at positions corresponding to the plurality of information input/output electrodes 111b of the IC card 11. The connection electrodes 121d are connected to a circuit (not shown) in the housing 1. The magazine 122 has an opening 122b corresponding to the opening 121c of the baseboard 121.
A hook 121e is arranged on the vertical wall 121a of the baseboard 121, so that the magazine 122 to which the IC card 11 is inserted is fixed to be in tight contact with the baseboard 121. When the hook 121e is released, for example, the magazine 122 is pressed upward by a control rod 121f biased by a spring. In this manner, the IC card 11 can be removed.
In the IC card 11, assume that the difference between the level of a surface 111c on which the information input/output electrodes 111b are formed and the level of a surface 111d in which the window 111a is formed is represented by t.sub.1, that the thickness of the bottom plate of the baseboard 121 of the reception apparatus 12 is represented by t.sub.2 ', and that the thickness of the side wall of the magazine 122 is represented by t.sub.2 ". In this case, a gap represented by t.sub.1 +t.sub.2 is present between the information input/output electrodes 111b of the IC card 11 and the connection electrodes 121d formed in the opening 121c of the baseboard 121. Here, t.sub.2 is the sum of t.sub.2 ' and t.sub.2 ". For this purpose, a connector is required to connect the information input/output electrodes 111b of the IC card 11 to the connection electrodes 121d of the baseboard 121. FIGS. 7A and 8B are perspective views for explaining a conventional card connector.
The structure of a conventional IC card connector 2 and connection between the IC card connector 2 and the connection electrodes 121d of the corresponding reception apparatus 12 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. The IC card connector 2 is formed of an insulating rubber material 2a and has a size to fit in the opening 121c formed in the baseboard 121 of the reception apparatus 12 and a thickness a.sub.1 which is slightly larger than the gap t.sub.1 +t.sub.2. A plurality of conductive columns 2b formed of an insulting rubber material are buried in the insulating rubber material 2a and are bored through the insulating rubber material 2a in the direction of the thickness a.sub.1. The conductive columns 2b are arranged in correspondence with the information input/output electrodes 111b of the IC card 11 (FIG. 6) and the connection electrodes 121d of the baseboard 121. Both ends of the conductive columns 2b are exposed from the insulating rubber material 2a.
The IC card connector 2 is inserted into the opening 121c of the baseboard 121 as indicated by arrow D in FIG. 7A, and one exposed end of each conductive column 2b is brought into contact with the corresponding connection electrode 121d. As described above with reference to FIG. 6, the magazine 122 into which the IC card 11 is inserted is brought into contact with the baseboard 121 and locked by the hook 121e. In this state, each information input/output electrode 111b of the IC card 11 is brought into contact with the other exposed end of the corresponding conductive column 2b of the IC card connector 2. In this manner, the information input/output electrodes 111b of the IC card 11 and the connection electrodes 121d of the baseboard 121 of the reception apparatus are connected to each other by the conductive columns 2b, respectively.
The structure of another conventional IC card connector 3 and connection between the IC card connector 3 and the connection electrodes 121d of the corresponding reception apparatus will be described below with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B. For the same reason as in the prior art, the IC card connector 3 is constituted by an insulating block 31 having a thickness a.sub.2 equal to t.sub.1 +t.sub.2. The insulating block 31 has a notched portion formed in the longitudinal direction of the insulating block 31, and a plurality of contact pieces 32 formed bored through both the side walls of the notched portion. The contact pieces 32 on each of the side walls are arranged at the same pitch as that of the arrangement of the corresponding connection electrodes 121d on the baseboard 121 of the reception apparatus 12 and the arrangement of the information input/output electrodes 111b of the IC card 11. The contact pieces 32 include contacts 32a each having one end portion which is bent into an inverted-U shape and eternal connection terminals 32b each having the other end portion which is offset-bent, and a portion between the contact 32a and the external connection terminal 32b is fixed to the walls. The peak of each contact 32a slightly projects from an upper surface 31b of the insulating block 31. The external connection terminal 32b is on the same plane as that of the lower surface 31a of the insulating block 31.
The IC card connector 3 is inserted into the opening 121c of the baseboard 121 in a direction indicated by arrow E, and the external connection terminals 32b are soldered to the corresponding connection electrodes 121d in the opening 121c, respectively. In this manner, the contact pieces 32 of the IC card connector 3 are electrically connected to the connection electrodes 121d of the baseboard 121. As described above with reference to FIG. 6, the magazine 122 into which the IC card is inserted is brought into tight contact with the baseboard 121, and the IC card is locked by the hook 121e. In this state, the information input/output electrodes 111b of the IC card 11 are brought into contact with the corresponding contact pieces 32 of the IC card connector 3. In this manner, the information input/output electrodes 111b of the IC card 11 are connected to the connection electrodes 121d of the baseboard 121, respectively.